Car-brake



UNITED STATES.

PATENT Gwinn.

HORACE P. ASSETT, OF VARREN, OHIC.

CAR-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 473,606, dated April 26, 1.892.

Application filed May 22, 1891i Serial No. 393|746. (No model.)

y To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, HORACE P. BASSETT, a citizen of the United States, residing at NVarren, in the county of Trumbull and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful CarlBrake, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to railway-cars, and more especially to the brakes used thereon; and the object of the same is to produce certain improvements therein by increasing the power and rendering the brake-shoes readily removable.

To this end the invention consists in the details of construction hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and as illustrated on the sheet of drawings, wherein- Figure l is a plan view of a truck with my improved brake applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2 of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. l. Fig. it is an enlarged perspective detail of one of the brake-shoes. Fig. 5 is a similar perspective detail of the shoe with the parts slightly separated.

Referring to the said drawings, the letter T designates the truck, beneathwhich are snpported bars B, and in the ends of these bars are journaled the axles A, carrying the wheelslV.

Although I have not shown them, it will be understood that there may be two or more axles at each side of the truck; but the present invention contemplates the application of the brakes to the wheels of the inner axles only or those next adjacent the truck.

L is the main lever, which is pivoted at one end to the truck, and which, it will be understood, is to be connected at its other end with the power for applying the brakes, which power may be steam, compressed air, or otherwise. This lever is connected between its ends by a link K with the inner ends of secondary levers Z, whose outer ends are pivoted, as at O, to plungers P. Adjacent the outer ends of the secondary levers Z short links Q are pivoted, as at O', to the levers, and their outer ends are pivoted, as at 0, to otherplungers P', moving in the opposite directionthat is, toward the other edge of the truck T. All the plungers and brake-shoes are of the same construction, and hence a description of one will answer for all.

C is a clip or box secured upon the truck and through which the plunger slides. The outer end E of the plunger is bifurcated,and a iiat spring F, secured at one endto the edge of the truck T, has its other end inserted in this bifurcation and bears the plunger normally inward.

S is the brake-shoe, (best seen in Fig. 4,)'and this shoe has an eare on its rear side, which is pivoted in the bifurcated end E of the plunger.

U is a bar secured across the bottom of the truck, and V is a link pivoted in the end of this bar and its other end connected with the upper end of the shoe S. The inner face of this shoe is preferably provided with transverse projections J, as shown, and its upper end is bifurcated, as atj.

F is the removable or wearing face of the shoe, whichnormally stands inside the curved side of the shoe and rests against the projections J, and the upper end of this face has an ear f, which passes into the bifurcation j of the shoe and is held removably therein by an ordinary bolt.

Power being applied to the lever L, the two secondary levers are moved, as will beunderstood, their outer ends moving two of the plungers in the proper direction and the short links Q moving the other two plungers oppositely. In this manner all the shoes are driven outwardly with great force, the flat springs F yielding to permit. As each shoe moves outwardly its link V causes it to assume the proper position, and the face F of the shoe is driven with great force against the tread of the wheel. When this face becomes worn or broken a new one may be readily substituted by withdrawing the fasteningbolt and lifting the face out of position.

Various changes in the specific details of construction may be made without departing from my invention.

The device is simple and inexpensive in construction and effective in operation, and one especial advantage it possesses is that the entire mechanism is mounted upon the truck, and can with lout little cost be applied to the cars now in general use.

All the parts of the device are preferably of iron of the proper hardness, although I do not limit myself to the materials nor the shape or size of parts.

IOO

What is claimed as new isl. In a car-brake, the combination, with a main lever pivoted at one end and connected at its other end with the brake mechanism and a secondary lever connected at one end with said main lever between the ends of the latter, of plungers mounted in boxes on the truck, brake-shoes at their outer ends, and

springs for moving said plungers inwardly,

the outer end of the secondary lever being pivoted to one plunger and the other plunger being connected by a short link with said secondary lever just inside its outer end, substantially as described.

2. In a car-brake, the combination, with a box mounted on the truck, a plunger sliding longitudinally therein and having a bifurcated outer end, a spring bearing said plunger away from the car-wheel, and means for moving the plunger against the tension of the f spring, of a brake-shoe having an ear on its rear face mounted on a horizontal pivot in said bifurcation, substantially as described.

3. In a oar-brake, the combination, with a box, a plunger moving therein and having a l biturcated outer end, a spring holding' said plunger normally in one position, and means for movin git against the tension of the spring, of a brake-shoe having an ear on its rear face mounted on a horizontal pivot in said bifurcation, a bar secured to the truck, and a link rising from said bar and pivotally connecting said bar with the upper end of the shoe, substantially as described.

4. In a car-brake, the combination, with a lever Z, connected at one end with the oper# ating mechanism, of longitudinally-movable plungers, one of which is pivoted to the opposite end of said lever,a link connecting the other plunger with the lever between the ends of the latter, and shoes carried by said plungers, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of lrwo Witnesses.

HORACE P. BASSETT. Witnesses:

E. D. KENNEDY, H. H. HOWARD. 

